Practising English
Listening practice for learners of B1 intermediate and B2 upper-intermediate levels of British English. Learn British English by listening to stories. Original and exciting stories written for learners and students of British English. Practise and prepare for Cambridge: B1 PET Preliminary and FCE First Certificate exams. IELTS: level 4, level 5 and level 6. Includes English grammar explanations and practice exercises, examples of vocabulary use, phrasal verbs and collocations help, British English pronunciation practice, advice and help for passing B1 and B2 English examinations: Cambridge, IELTS and Trinity. Start practising and improving your British English listening, vocabulary and speaking levels today!
Practising English
322. The Harmonica Players (full version) B2 story
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
This is the complete version of the B2-level story, The Harmonica Players. I include here for you a B2 vocabulary list of words and expressions to listen for in the story:
Practising English podcast 322...
B2 Words and expressions in the story
1. couldn't face
Story sentence to listen for: Somehow, he couldn’t face starting his day without a hot shower.
Definition: To feel unable or unwilling to do something because you do not want to deal with it.
2. All of a sudden
Story sentence to listen for: All of a sudden , the ceiling light, television, fridge and electric heater all came on at once.
Definition: Very quickly and unexpectedly.
3. get hold of
Story sentence to listen for: Work as a musician had been difficult to get hold of .
Definition: To find or obtain something that you need or want.
4. From time to time
Story sentence to listen for: From time to time , he gave harmonica lessons online…
Definition: Sometimes, but not regularly.
5. kept his eye out for
Story sentence to listen for: Martin always kept his eye out for a job that he could do.
Definition: To watch carefully for something because you hope to find or see it.
6. Every once in a while
Story sentence to listen for: Every once in a while , he’d found work doing what he really loved.
Definition: Sometimes, but not often.
7. a chance of a lifetime
Story sentence to listen for: It was a chance of a lifetime .
Definition: A very special opportunity that is unlikely to happen again.
8. dropped out of
Story sentence to listen for: He dropped out of college.
Definition: To leave a school, college or course before you have finished it.
9. make ends meet
Story sentence to listen for: He was struggling to make ends meet .
Definition: To have just enough money to pay for the things you need.
10. had a strong dislike of
Story sentence to listen for: Jeffrey had a strong dislike of mobile phones.
Definition: To strongly dislike someone or something.
11. behind bars
Story sentence to listen for: They should be behind bars .
Definition: In prison.
12. gazed out of
Story sentence to listen for: She gazed out of the window at the daffodils in the snow.
Definition: Looked at something for a long time, often without moving your eyes.
13. foreigners
Story sentence to listen for: 'I don’t know what this country is coming to. More foreigners than native English .'
Definition: People who come from a different country.
14. native English
Story sentence to listen for: 'I don’t know what this country is coming to. More foreigners than native English .'
Definition: Describes people who have English as their first language.
15. In contrast to
Story sentence to listen for: In contrast to the London area, Oxted was primarily a small town of white people.
Definition: Used to show how one thing is different from another.
16. primarily
Story sentence to listen for: In contrast to the London area, Oxted was primarily a small town of white people.
Definition: Mainly or mostly.
17. respectable
Story sentence to listen for: 'All respectable , traditional people. Proper English people, Jeffrey would say.'
Definition: Considered to be good, honest and acceptable by most people.
18. upbringing
Story sentence to listen for: 'His upbringing had always been in country areas, away from cosmopolitan cities.'
Definition: The way a person is treated and taught by their parents while they are growing up.
19. distrusted
Story sentence to listen for: 'He distrusted foreigners in his country, in general.'
Definition: Did not trust someone because you believed they might not be honest or reliable.
20. take it for granted
Story sentence to listen for: 'In England, you could take it for granted that you would find decency and fair play .'
Definition: To believe that something will always be there or happen, without thinking about it.
21. decency and fair play
Story sentence to listen for: 'In England, you could take it for granted that you would find decency and fair play .'
Definition: Decency means behaving in a good and honest way. Fair play means treating people fairly and following accepted rules.
22. deceit and dishonesty
Story sentence to listen for: 'Unfortunately, the deceit and dishonesty , which so many immigrants brought with them from elsewhere was giving this country a bad name.'
Definition: Deceit means trying to make someone believe something that is not true. Dishonesty means not being honest or truthful.
23. discourage
Story sentence to listen for: 'The current government’s policy of sending them all to Rwanda was obviously a practical solution which would discourage others, tempted by England’s superior standard of living, from attempting the crossing of the English Channel.'
Definition: To make someone less willing to do something.
24. giving the country a bad name
Story sentence to listen for: 'Immigrants giving the country a bad name .'
Definition: Making other people have a bad opinion of a country because of someone's actions.
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